Prep notebook: Rocky boys starting to play better basketball

Feb. 11, 2013

Rocky Mountain coach Jon Rakiecki talks with an official during the game against Horizon during high school basketball action at Rocky Mountain High School on February 5. / Rich Abrahamson/The Coloradoan

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| By Coloradoan Staff

After a rough stretch from early December to late January, the Rocky Mountain boys basketball team lost 10-straight games, but the Lobos are starting to roll late in the year. Rocky has won three of its last four games, with the loss being by seven points to Monarch.

During those four games, Rocky has been able to do solid defensive work on the opponents’ top scorers. In three of the four games, the Lobos have held the opponents’ leading scorer under their season average. In those four games, Michael Dermody has averaged 18.8 points per game and Aaron Hines has averaged 12.8.

The Lobos have a prime chance to make a statement Tuesday night when they host Fossil Ridge, which is second in the Front Range League, a game behind Fairview.

SCORING LEADERS: For some of the top high school boys basketball teams in the area, balanced scoring has been the key. Fossil Ridge, a game out of the lead in the Front Range League, have four players averaging more than nine points per game. Led by 12.6 points from Cody McCoy, the SaberCats also have Evan Smith, Alex Semadeni and Alec Quaid averaging 9.3 points per game or more.

In the Tri-Valley Conference, leaders Windsor carry four players that average double digit points. Dylan Ochsner leads the Wizards with 17.6 points per game while Dalton Walker, Alex Baldwin and Lucas Watts are all over 10 points per game. For Fort Collins, the Lambkins are led by 19.3 points from Ryan French while Toby Van Ry adds 10.5 and Will Duggan scores 9.8.

Meanwhile on the girls side, FRL leaders Poudre are led by 14.4 points from Myanne Hamm, 12.3 points from Ashley McDaniel and 10.8 from McKenzie McDaniel. The Smith sisters lead Fossil, with Savannah averaging 13.9 while Gabby averages 10.8. In Windsor, the Tri-Valley leaders are led by 16.2 points from Brooke Pemberton and 9.5 from Korbyn Ukasick. At Fort Collins, Nicole Lange averages 12.8 points and Payton Humpal scores 10.8. Anna Ernst leads Rocky with 16.4 points while Wesley Bannister adds 9.4.

RANKINGS UPDATE: Riding a six-game winning streak the Fossil Ridge boys re-entered the top 10 of the Denver Post basketball poll. The SaberCats trail Fairview by a game in the Front Range League standings. The Windsor boys received a vote in the 4A poll while Resurrection Christian is No. 7 in 2A and Heritage Christian is No. 8.

With losses in two of its last three games, the Poudre girls still sit just outside the top 10 in 5A. The Windsor girls are No. 8 in 4A as the Wizards continue to dominate the Tri-Valley Conference.